Environmental stress, including temperature variation, hypoxia, and pollutants, deleteriously affects the functions of both animals and plants disrupting their homeostasis. Understanding the organism responses to environmental stress and the underlying mechanisms are essential to complete student formation in science and technology for environment. The expected learning outcomes are related to Plant Physiology, Ecophysiology, Physiology, Comparative Physiology, Environmental Physiology. In particular, the Educational Objectives are related to the acquisition of Cultural Competencies concerning the knowledge of: physiological terminology; homeostasis; phenotype plasticity; functional acclimatization of animals and plants. Teaching Objectives are also the acquisition of Methodological Skills, concerning the ability to carry out application of the scientific method for the analysis of components and factors of processes, systems and problems concerning the environment, both natural and modified by human beings and experimental data processing
teacher profile teaching materials
Effects of climate changes on plants. Environmental stresses. Plant responses to environmental stresses. Stress resistance and susceptibility in plants. Avoidance, defense and tolerance strategies. Adaptation and acclimatization. Phenotypic plasticity: morphological, physiological, biochemical and metabolic plasticity.
Indeterminate growth: primary meristems and stem cells. Elongation growth: cell wall role. Morphogens. Photomorphogenesis. Tropisms.
Plant water balance. Water potential. The movement of water and solutes in plants. Stomata: structure, and regulation of the stomatal opening.
Photosynthesis: adaptations and acclimatization of the photosynthetic process to different climatic conditions. Photorespiration in C3 metabolism. C4 metabolism and acid metabolism of crassulaceae (CAM). Physiological and ecological considerations of photosynthesis. Interception of sunlight: leaf anatomy, leaf movement, chloroplast rotation, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio, the role of antenna complexes. Plant responses to the excess of light energy. The dissipation of excess energy. The photo- inhibition.
Adaptations and acclimatization to abiotic stresses: water deficit, saline stress, excess water and oxygen deficiency, high and low temperatures.
Secondary metabolism: definition and ecological role of secondary metabolites. The main classes of secondary metabolites: terpenes, nitrogen-containing compounds and phenols.
Raven, Evert, Eichhorn - Biologia delle Piante - Zanichelli.
Pdf files of the lectures
Other material prepared by the teacher
Prof. Cona receives every day by appointment via e-mail: alessandra.cona@uniroma3.it
Programme
PLANT RESPONSES TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSESEffects of climate changes on plants. Environmental stresses. Plant responses to environmental stresses. Stress resistance and susceptibility in plants. Avoidance, defense and tolerance strategies. Adaptation and acclimatization. Phenotypic plasticity: morphological, physiological, biochemical and metabolic plasticity.
Indeterminate growth: primary meristems and stem cells. Elongation growth: cell wall role. Morphogens. Photomorphogenesis. Tropisms.
Plant water balance. Water potential. The movement of water and solutes in plants. Stomata: structure, and regulation of the stomatal opening.
Photosynthesis: adaptations and acclimatization of the photosynthetic process to different climatic conditions. Photorespiration in C3 metabolism. C4 metabolism and acid metabolism of crassulaceae (CAM). Physiological and ecological considerations of photosynthesis. Interception of sunlight: leaf anatomy, leaf movement, chloroplast rotation, chlorophyll a/chlorophyll b ratio, the role of antenna complexes. Plant responses to the excess of light energy. The dissipation of excess energy. The photo- inhibition.
Adaptations and acclimatization to abiotic stresses: water deficit, saline stress, excess water and oxygen deficiency, high and low temperatures.
Secondary metabolism: definition and ecological role of secondary metabolites. The main classes of secondary metabolites: terpenes, nitrogen-containing compounds and phenols.
Core Documentation
Luigi Sanità di Toppi. Interazioni piante-ambiente. PICCINRaven, Evert, Eichhorn - Biologia delle Piante - Zanichelli.
Pdf files of the lectures
Other material prepared by the teacher
Prof. Cona receives every day by appointment via e-mail: alessandra.cona@uniroma3.it
Type of delivery of the course
Lecture-based course taught by dedicated teachers: response mechanisms to environmental stresses of animal organisms (3 cfu, prof. Marco Fiocchetti) and plant organisms (3 cfu Prof.ssa Alessandra Cona).Type of evaluation
The exam consists of an oral test with questions equally distributed between plant and animal organisms. teacher profile teaching materials
Practice 1: Osmosis
Practice 2: Globular Resistance
Practice 3: Arterial Pressure
Practice 4: Spirometry
Programme
Laboratory practice exercise:Practice 1: Osmosis
Practice 2: Globular Resistance
Practice 3: Arterial Pressure
Practice 4: Spirometry
Core Documentation
D.U. Silverthorn Human Physiology 2020 PEARSON, MILANO –TORINO, ITALIA.Reference Bibliography
None at this pointType of delivery of the course
Laboratory practice exerciseAttendance
None at this pointType of evaluation
Self-evaluation